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Wednesday, 16 May 2018

Benedict Cumberbatch for Channel 4 Brexit drama

He's currently winning praise for Showtime's Patrick Melrose, but we already know where we'll see Benedict Cumberbatch next on TV

Channel 4 have announced he will star in one-off drama Brexit (Working Title), a political thriller written by playwright James Graham, best known for political plays such as The Vote, as well as recently Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? play Quiz.

Cumberbatch will star as Dominic Cummings, the leading strategist and Campaign Director of Vote Leave.

The one-off drama will unpacking the anatomy of the historic, high-stakes campaign to win the hearts and minds of the British people and will be directed by Black Mirror’s Toby Haynes.

At a time when the ethics, legalities and political impact of data-mining has never been more debated, and when investigations examining possible links between Vote Leave’s campaign and data companies are making front page news, Brexit (w/t) is a profoundly timely drama that brings into sharp focus the many weapons used in today’s political battlegrounds.

From political strategists and pollsters to disrupters and provocateurs – the decisions taken and platforms set out during those 8 weeks in the summer of 2016 have had reverberations throughout British politics and across the globe like no other event since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Going beyond the well-known public appearances of famous faces to peak instead behind the curtain, Brexit (w/t) will explore the anatomy of a modern data-driven election campaign, and the divisive figures driving it from the shadows.

Venturing from high street campaigning to top level political influence, and then stepping even further into the darker corners of the internet, The drama sets out not to be an analysis of who was right and who was wrong, but rather is the story of how it happened, and why.

Graham says: “I’m so excited – not to mention a little nervous – to have this chance to try and get under the skin of what happened during that historic vote. I hope by going behind-the-scenes of the campaign, we’re able to interrogate the consequences of what happened during these 8 weeks that have changed the country forever. To work with this incredible team and Channel 4 to bring this story to life on screen is a real honour.”